o
collect more information. Some of the officers went to the Coural, a
celebrated part of the island for extensive and beautiful scenery. In
the afternoon of _Tuesday, August 14th_, we embarked, and sailed
out of Funchal Bay on the same evening, directing our course for
Teneriffe. Our consort the Diadem, transport, had left the bay a few
hours before. From Funchal, Madeira, to Santa Cruz, Teneriffe, the
course is S. 6 deg. E.; distance 252 miles.

----------
[1] Madeira received its name in consequence of being covered with
wood; the word "madeira" in the Portuguese signifying timber.

[2] The vine of Italy was originally introduced to the mountain, of
Tokay, in the fourteenth century, by Louis I. of France.

[3] In the mountains of the Caraccas the potatoe grows wild, and in
great abundance; but as they are left unnoted, they are usually not
much larger than the ordinary gooseberry.--See _Humboldt_.

CHAP. II.

Teneriffe--Town of Santa Cruz--Female Costume--Incident at a Ball--Bad
Roads--Climate--Productions--Population of the Canary Islands--Imports
and Exports--Various Qualities of the Wines--Fishery--Leave Santa
Cruz--Crossing the Tropic of Cancer--Shaving and Ducking--General
Remarks--Make St. Jago--Anchor at Porto Praya--Sickly Season--Death of
the Consul and his Wife--Consul's Sister--Governor's Garden and
Watering-place--Population of the Island--Produce--The Orchilla Weed,
its growth, uses, and varieties--Cause of Fever--Departure for Sierra
Leone

_Wednesday, 15th_.--Fresh breezes and cloudy, with the wind and a swell
from the eastward. At sunset passed within six or seven miles to the
eastward of the Great Salvage Islands.

_Thursday, 16th_.--At daylight saw the island of Teneriffe,[4] and at
nine anchored in Santa Cruz Roads, in nineteen fathoms water; the
flag-staff on the mole bearing W. by N. We saluted the Spanish flag
with thirteen guns, which was returned.

Mr. M'Gregor, our Vice-consul, came on board, when he immediately
recognised me, as having seen me at Hamburg about three years before.
On his returning to the shore he was complimented with a salute of
seven guns, according to regulations. I accompanied some of the
officers on shore to take a ramble over the town. I regretted to learn
from Mr. M'Gregor that Mr. Bruce, our Consul-General for the Canaries,
was in England. This circumstance was a serious disappointment to me,
as I had a letter of introduction to that gentleman from